The Benefits of Sports Massage

Skilfully applied massage is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal system. Received regularly this may help you prevent injuries that might otherwise result from overuse. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles from regular activity can lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves.

These muscle imbalances may develop and often go undiagnosed until they are serious enough to cause the athlete discomfort or impede performance. The greatest benefit of sports massage is in helping prevent injury, and at The Reflexology Centre my first aim is keeping you fit to continue your sporting activity.

I have successfully treated clients for a range of sports-related conditions, including back pain, sciatica, medial-tibial stress syndrome (shin splints), hamstring, groin and Achilles tendon strains, frozen shoulder, and Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow. 

Contact me for a consultation or treatment if you have a condition that may benefit from sports massage.

More About Sports Massage

With an ever-growing number of people taking part in sport, combined with the increasing competitiveness and intensity of physical exercise, sports massage is becoming more and more recognised as a practice that aids recovery and enhances performance. 

In all types of massage the therapist has specific aims in mind, and in sports massage our focus is on the needs of our clients depending on age, and the type, frequency and standard of sport practiced, developing a programme of treatment tailored to each client’s needs.

Athletes who are looking to improve performance and increase their competitive edge adopt a training schedule to enhance their skill, strength, stamina, suppleness and speed. The degree to which they develop and utilise these qualities will depend on other factors such as the level of competition, the sport played, and possibly their position in a team. 

No matter which sport, the aim is nearly always to systematically increase the level of training and thereby subject the body to gradual and controlled overuse. It is sudden or uncontrolled overuse that often creates muscular problems for the clients we see. If these soft tissue problems are ignored and allowed to become chronic, they not only hinder the athlete's rate of improvement, but also their performance, and ultimately the athlete may be susceptible to developing more serious conditions. 

Certainly if you are unable to perform at your best, you may be more at risk from more traumatic forms of injury. For example, a player involved in a contact sport who is "carrying" an injury may not have their usual level of agility, and unfortunately we often see clients who have returned to competitive sports prematurely and suffered a recurrence or worsening of an existing injury as a result.

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